Always seal wire connections with electrical tape to prevent house fires.
As fluorescent lights are found in nearly every business, office and home, it makes sense to understand repair them when they break down. If your fluorescent light stops working, the first thing to do is check the bulbs. If, after replacing them, the light still doesn't work,or if the bulbs are dim and/or flickering, then the issue is probably with the ballast. The ballast is the small black box located inside the fixture that regulates the flow of electricity to the fixture's bulbs.The Westinghouse R10 ballast is a common model and is fairly easy to wire and install.
Instructions
1. Cut the power to the fixture. This can be done either by unplugging the fixture from an outlet, or switching off the circuit breaker found in the basement or utility closet.
2. Remove all accessories and light tubes from the fixture. The exact process depends the style fixture you are working on but it should not require anything more than the removal of some screws.
3. Open the fixtures casing. Most fixtures have a heat shield of casing covering the ballast and wiring. Undo the clips or screws to gain entry to the fixture's inner workings.
4. Locate and disconnect the Westinghouse R10 ballast. You will see a black box with four wires connecting it to the fixture. Use your wire cutters and cut the wires close to the ballast. Then remove the holding the ballast in the fixture. Remove and discard the old ballast.
5. Strip the wires hanging from the fixture of one inch of their insulation. Use your wire strippers for this task. Then mount the new ballast in the fixtures using the mounting screws.
6. Twist the wires from the new ballast with the wires from the fixture, matching color to color. Red affixes to red, black to black, etc. Then cover each connection with some electrical tape. Finally, reassemble the fixture.
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